The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1887-04-28
rur WING AND THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS

THI WING AND THE PUBLIC s'h'''o'
We asked our esteemed neighbor, the
Whiq. to tackle the question whether
State that could afford TO spend 81 $780,
900 per annum on education was too poor
70 nav IT'S creditors 100000 year, and
il has tackled it, Hear its argument
"The TIMES might just as well argue
that because a man by hard work and
close economy is able TO pay 5000 per an
mum 10 clothe and feed his wife and
children, thercforc.hc is able TO pay 500
for piano
With all proper respect for our neigh
Dor, we are compelled to admit that this
humorous treatment Of the subject places
us at some disadvantage in argument
Ii entirely reverses the order in which
we have been accustomed to regard the
matter, seeing that it places the payment
of a debt upon the same footing as the
purchase Of a piano We had supposed
the first TO be a moral duty, the secord 10
be the indulgence Of a liberal taste SO
that if the wing proposes to place the
discussion upon that plane, and hold it
there. we fear we will have 10 abandon
il with the simple remark That the man
who makes 5000 a year and is in debt,
ought not to spend it all upon feeding
and clothing his wife and children; nor
ought ne. if i'm debt, 10 spend dollar of
If upon "a piano but be ought TO lay
aside at least 500 Of it to pay his debts
with
But the Wing does not think We spend
as much as 81 100000 per annum on edu-
cation Let us go, then, 10 the records,
and get the official figures
II we look at pages g, e. and 8 Of the
report Of the Auditor for the last fiscal
year we win see That we paid ONT Of The
States treasury for education during That
year the following sums
school warrants for the year ls.i....s gsCa2 a. F
School warrants f0r lssj........ 6lu5,3 ,i
Arrc1ruec- to schools from licenses. 10000 DU
Auclmgc- 90 literary fund .......... 100000 GOD
ArrcawVc- to Washington amt Lcc
UIkNr~IfN ....... ..... ....-.... .'-.-W NI
Interest ON the states bonds hrd
Dos institutions of learning ........ li-,tN rs
COlOrol Normal School .......... fN.-3' 'H
Female Normal school at famvlc 5.nH o0
Annuity tU / University Of Virginia. 10000 N
Auuuit. tO y. ". l....... ........... $4,000 0N
Annuity 90 Medical CoNcgc.......... l.5D 0O
SI2m7a % .
If we look TO the report Of the Super
mtcndent Of Schools for the last year, p
IA. we find that I'm addition TO what was
paid for education out ofthe States treas
ury. the counties contributed the sum of
1921 .30G.eS. which also was spent We
thus have grand total of $751;
O37.32 that was spent by the State
of Virginia upon education dur
ing the year of our Lord that ended July .
31st, 1856 The Wig argues that what
was contributed by the counties is not to- .
be considered as spent by the State and
no doubt IL will argue That interest paid
by the state upon ifs bond, held By
schools and collcgc,is not to bcconsidered
as money contributed so education bui us
payment of debt We reply that what was
contributed by The counde- was raised
by taxation of thc people of Virginia.
and il is of mo consequence SO far as thc
weight of the burden is concerned,
whether The money raised by taxation
zoe, into The treasury of the State or
into that of The county and whether thc
interest paid TO bond, held by school.
and colleges is treated as payment Of
debt or not # is money spcn, upon edu-
cation. We therefore ask the Wig
again if # really thinks that State
which can afford TO spend S1S,lO3132 .
per annum upon The luxury Of education
is too poor to pay ifs creditors 100000
per annum
If an The property in tine United States
were divided mp among the people it .
would give to eachman 5000
Now what wouldprevent the same pro-
cess of progress that has at last put u- SO .
far towards freedom. and cmancipaied
The poor from the tyranny of former
time,
Human nature could not De changed
and the inevitable struggle between the .
.tronr and weak would benin fine ycry